Wednesday, January 30, 2013

"While they were in traffic, they heard gun shots and my daughter heard the shot come through the car and she got hit in her right hip."
Lockette said doctors did not remove the bullet, and it's for her daughter's own good.
"They said either two inches to the right or left it could have hit her intestines."
The Mobile Police Department is investigating the incident.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Sweetwater Police Chief Eddie Byrum said in a news release that no foul play was suspected. Per procedure, Sweetwater police secured the weapon and the Monroe County District Attorney contacted the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, who took over the investigation, he said.

Sgt. Marty Kyle said Matthew didn't intent to shoot himself.

"As best we can tell, there was nobody else there in the room, so he did shoot himself," Kyle said. "Apparently, based on everything we can find out, we have no sign that he was depressed or anything of that nature, so it looks like an accidental shooting."

Police did not specify the type of firearm involved in the shooting.

Sweetwater High School principal David Watts said students, staff and faculty planned to honor Matthew at school on Monday.

"Matthew's favorite color was purple and we're going purple on Monday and kids can dress in purple and we'll have purple ribbons," he said. "We'll also have counselors available."

The school also planned an assembly in Matthew's honor Sunday at 2 p.m., in the gym at the school, located at 414 S. High St., Sweetwater.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Thanks to our friend at the Ohh Shoot blog for alerting us to this incident.

Police say an 11-year-old girl is in critical condition after being shot in the face by her father in a New Jersey home on Thursday night, CBS Philly reports.

Investigators said 27-year-old Byaer Johnson apparently entered the home to visit his young daughter. At point, they say, he was asked to leave, then picked up his handgun and shot his daughter in the face.

The girl was rushed to Cooper University Hospital where she is listed in critical but stable condition, according to CBS Philly. Authorities said the girl could suffer paralysis as a result of her injuries.

Investigators say that after allegedly shooting his daughter, Johnson pointed the gun at a 28-year-old man in the home and pulled the trigger, but the weapon jammed. The man reportedly wrestled with Johnson, obtained his gun and then fired it at him, hitting Johnson in the buttocks.

Police found Johnson running toward an apartment complex and took him into custody, CBS Philly reports. The 28-year-old man is not expected to be charged in the shooting attack.

Johnson is being treated for his injury and is expected to be transferred to the Camden County Jail. He faces charges of criminal attempted murder and other weapons offenses.

"He could have been anybody in the world. He was just about to start kindergarten. Who knows what he could have done out here," said Jasmine Palmer, the boy's cousin.

Despite the criminal charges filed against the father, police have not answered the question, who pulled the trigger? Officers said it was possible that the boy got his hands on the gun and accidentally shot himself inside the car.

"This is still an an evolving situation here. We're trying to figure out where it happened, how it happened and what happened," Edwards said.

According to court records, Terrance Allen has a prior felony conviction out of Cuyahoga County for burglary, and therefore, should not own or carry a firearm.

However, Jamella Allen said Jamarcus found a gun hidden in a bathroom wall of their Akron home about a week ago.

Jamella said she questioned Terrance about it, and he informed her that it was a laser gun that he bought at a gun show. Jamella said she told Terrance to get rid of it.

It's not clear if that is the same gun that killed the 4-year-old boy.

Felons should not have easy access to guns. Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Kansas City police arrested a 16-year-old Ruskin High School student accused of shooting at a school bus after the driver refused to allow him to board on Wednesday.

The boy, identified as the shooter by witnesses, was detained by school officials Thursday after he showed up for class. The juvenile prosecutor charged him with attempted assault and armed criminal action. He could face additional charges after police confirm the number of students who were on the bus at the time of the shooting.

He remained in the juvenile jail Friday.

Police said he tried to board a school bus headed to Ruskin just before 7 a.m. Wednesday at 93rd Street and Cleveland Avenue but was denied by the driver, who didn’t recognize him as a regular rider. He offered to pay the driver, but she refused and forced him off the bus. As the bus drove away, he allegedly fired about five bullets at the bus. The bus was not damaged and no students were hit. The people on the bus were unaware of the shooting. The driver continued to pick up students along her route and dropped them off at the school before learning of the gunfire from police.

But students at another bus stop for a different high school saw the shooting, as did some neighbors. Police said the suspect has a relative who lives in the area, but the suspect lives closer to Ruskin. Police weren’t sure if he intended to go to school Wednesday with the gun or whether he was simply trying to hitch a ride to a location close to his home. The school has metal detectors to try to prevent students from bringing weapons into the school.

The boy was the second Ruskin student arrested this week in connection with a gun crime. Jackson County prosecutors accused an 18-year-old student of firing at two other students after school let out Tuesday. No one was hurt in that incident.

Because of increasing tensions at the school related to the arrests, a few students were asked not to attend Friday night’s basketball game and court warming because school officials thought they might cause trouble. Extra police officers reported to the school.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

A Baton Rouge man who authorities said was playing with a gun was booked with negligent homicide Tuesday in the accidental shooting death of his 2-year-old brother.

Terrance J. Varise, 18, 5108 Jean St., was playing with a .357-caliber handgun at 6:30 p.m. Monday when his younger brother Travin Varise walked into the room and was struck in the chest, police and family members said.

The boy was rushed to a hospital where he died Tuesday morning, police spokesman Cpl. L’Jean McKneely said.

Terrance Varise admitted to detectives “that he was carelessly playing with the gun when it accidentally discharged,” according to an affidavit of probable cause.

“He had it in his hand, cocking it back and forth,” McKneely said, adding Terrance Varise had been upset about the shooting.

Terrance Varise’s uncle Calvin Varise said he had just left the Jean Street home Monday evening when he learned of the shooting via text message.

Calvin Varise said the family had not kept a gun in the home, adding he believes Terrance Varise got the weapon from a friend.

He said the teen had armed himself due to “environmental pressure” from neighborhood friends, whom he described as “roustabouts.”

“They’re just floating and they have no anchor to hold them down,” Calvin Varise said. “We’ve lost two.”

Terrance Varise was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on counts of negligent homicide, cruelty to a juvenile and felon in possession of a firearm. He was being held Tuesday afternoon without bond, prison officials said.

Court records show Terrance Varise had been on probation for a 2011 simple burglary of a motor vehicle in Iberville Parish. He pleaded guilty to the charge in May and received two years probation and a suspended two-year prison term, the records show.

Terrance Varise indicated on his Facebook page that he had an affinity for “shooting games” and Grand Theft Auto IV, a popular video game. One photograph shows him with his eyes closed, holding a revolver at his side.

Where did this 18 year old "felon" get his gun? Easy access to guns by teens leads to senseless shootings.

Witnesses told police the shooting was an accident. Police said the shooter, a 17-year-old boy, had a gun stuck in his waistband. While he was playing basketball, someone bumped into him and the gun went off when he was checking it, said police.

Relatives said Mario Whitehead, 16, was playing basketball when he felt the single gunshot. His brother raced to the park to help.

"He was laying on the court. So, I went over there, held his hand, tried to keep him calm because he was really scared," said Marvin Giles, the victim's brother. "He just kept telling me, 'Don't stop talking to me. Just keep talking to me.'"

Giles said his brother was shot in the shoulder. Relatives told Local 6 doctors have been unable to remove the bullet, and he now is paralyzed.

While his family is thankful he is alive, they know the bullet could have hit anyone in the large crowd.

"It could have been anybody," said Giles. "It could have been my youngest brother. It could have been me. It could have been anybody. Yeah, it's scary."

Orlando police said the shooting was likely an accident, but relatives believe the shooter had no business bringing a gun into a crowded park, and they think he should be behind bars.

"I think that everyone needs to be honest and put it out there," said Rosalyn Smith, the victim's aunt. "He needs to be off the streets. I don't know why they're protecting him."

Police arrested the shooter on charges of carrying a concealed firearm, improper exhibition of a dangerous firearm, discharging firearm in public, possession of a firearm by a minor and culpable negligence causing injury. The shooter was taken to the JAC for processing.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Threatened by long-term declining participation in shooting sports, the firearms industry has poured millions of dollars into a campaign to ensure its future by getting guns into the hands of more, and younger, children.

The industry's strategies include giving firearms, ammunition and cash to youth groups; weakening state restrictions on hunting by young children; marketing an affordable military-style rifle for "junior shooters" and sponsoring semiautomatic-handgun competitions for youths; and developing a target-shooting video game that promotes brand-name weapons, with links to the websites of their makers.

The pages of Junior Shooters, an industry-supported magazine that seeks to get children involved in the recreational use of firearms, once featured a smiling 15-year-old girl clutching a semiautomatic rifle. At the end of an accompanying article that extolled target shooting with a Bushmaster AR-15 -- an advertisement elsewhere in the magazine directed readers to a coupon for buying one -- the author encouraged youngsters to share the article with a parent. "Who knows?" it said. "Maybe you'll find a Bushmaster AR-15 under your tree some frosty Christmas morning!" (...)

Firearms manufacturers and their two primary surrogates, the National Rifle Association of America and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, have long been associated with high-profile battles to fend off efforts at gun control and to widen access to firearms. The public debate over the mass shootings in Newtown, Conn., and elsewhere has focused largely on the availability of guns, along with mental illness and the influence of violent video games.

Little attention has been paid, though, to the industry's youth-marketing initiatives. Proponents argue that introducing children to guns can provide a safe and healthy pastime, and critics counter that it is potentially dangerous.

The NRA has for decades given grants for youth shooting programs, mostly to Boy Scout councils and 4-H groups. Newer initiatives by other organizations go further, seeking to introduce children to high-powered rifles and handguns while invoking the same rationale of those older programs: that firearms can teach "life skills" like responsibility, ethics and citizenship.

Still, some experts in child psychiatry say that encouraging youthful exposure to guns is asking for trouble. Dr. Jess Shatkin, the director of undergraduate studies in child and adolescent mental health at New York University, said that young people's brains "are engineered to take risks," making them ill suited for handling guns. "There are lots of ways to teach responsibility to a kid," Shatkin said. "You don't need a gun to do it."

Steve Sanetti, the president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, said it was better to instruct children in the safe use of a firearm through hunting and target shooting. The shooting sports foundation, the tax-exempt trade association for the gun industry, is a driving force behind many of the newest youth initiatives. Its national headquarters is in Newtown, just a few miles from Sandy Hook Elementary School, where Adam Lanza, 20, used his mother's Bushmaster AR-15 to kill 20 children and six adults last month. Its $26 million budget is financed mostly by gun companies, associated businesses and the industry's annual trade show, said its latest tax return.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

A 7-year old boy and his mother were shot to death in their Boulder City, Nevada home by the father, Hans Walters, a 20-year veteran and lieutenant of the Las Vegas police force. After reporting the killing, the father then said he would shoot anyone who came to the scene, then set his home on fire. When authorities arrived, Walters showed up with a gun at the door, then went back in and shot himself to death. The home and bodies burned.From an article:

Henderson police spokesman Keith Paul said a man called 911 at about 8:20 a.m. Monday and told a dispatcher he killed his wife and child, set his house afire and would shoot anyone who approached.

The home is owned by Hans Walters, according to Clark County assessor records. Many know Walters as a Las Vegas police lieutenant married to a former Las Vegas police officer, Kathryn Walters. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that she left the department in 2005.

Boulder City police arrived to find the homeowner with a handgun in the doorway of the burning house before he retreated back inside and apparently killed himself, Paul said.

No shots were fired by police or SWAT officers from Henderson and North Las Vegas who later found the bodies of a 52-year-old man, a 46-year-old woman and a boy inside, Paul said. Officials said the boy was believed to be about 7.

"We're investigating the incident as a murder-suicide at this time," Paul said.

Monday, January 21, 2013

A 16-year old girl, Kayla Ann Hendrickson, of Beaverton, Oregon, was found shot to death in Tillamook, Oregon.

A young man associated with her in some way, 24-year old Jacob Allen Green of Newport, Oregon, is implicated in the shooting. He was later found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in California, and died soon after.

A girl found dead along Highway 6 east of Tillamook late Friday night was shot to death, state police said.

Investigators said 16-year-old Kayla Ann Hendrickson was from the Beaverton, Ore. area. An autopsy done Sunday morning confirmed Hendrickson died of gunshot wounds.

Beaverton School District officials confirmed she attended Sunset High School for a short time during the last school year.

Police also identified a person of interest in the case as Jacob Allen Green, 24, of Newport, Ore. They said Green shot and himself on Saturday, Jan. 19 along the Northern California Coast.

He was taken to a hospital but later died.

"Green was operating a vehicle matching the description of one which was sought as a vehicle of interest in connection with the Highway 6 death investigation," police said in a press release. They said Green knew Hendrickson.

The victims' identities haven't been released, and the boy's motive and connection to the five victims weren't immediately known. Williamson said investigators were trying to determine if the victims were related.

"We are trying to identify the victims," Williamson said.

Each victim suffered more than one gunshot wound, he said.

Investigators also were trying to determine who owned several guns that were found at the home, one of which was a semi-automatic military-style rifle.

Authorities declined to release details of any conversation that the 15-year-old had with investigators.

The teenager was booked on two counts of murder and three counts of child abuse resulting in death.

On Sunday, a police roadblock cut off public access to the narrow dirt road that leads to the home.

Detectives were still processing the crime scene Sunday afternoon.

Peter Gomez, a 54-year-old carpenter who lives about 200 yards from the home, said he saw police vehicles and ambulances arrive Saturday night.

Gomez said he doesn't know the family that lives at the house, but he has seen a married couple and their two boys and two girls from time to time.

"It's a horrible thing," Gomez said. "You see all this stuff that happens all over the country, the shootings in the schools and theaters, and then it happens right here. It's sad."

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

UPDATE (1/22/13): According to a follow-up article, the 15-year old shooter's name is Nehemiah Griego. The adults he shot were his parents, pastor Greg Griego and his wife, Sarah Griego. Together they had 10 children. The three young victims, siblings of Nehemiah, are a 9-year-old boy, Zephania Griego, and girls Jael Griego, 5, and Angelina Griego, 2.From the article:

The shooter has now been identified by Sheriff’s spokesman Aaron Williamson as 15-year-old Nehemiah Griego, the son of victim Greg Griego. The young man was arrested and booked for two counts of murder and three counts of child abuse resulting in death. All the victims received multiple gunshot wounds.

Police also revealed the home where the victims were found belonged to Greg and Sarah Griego. Greg Griego was the chaplain for the Albuquerque Fire Department and established several prison ministries. According to information in his biography, Greg Griego and his wife, Sarah, had 10 children.

According to another

article (source), all five victims were shot in the head.
According to a different article, the shooter, after killing his family, loaded up a car with his AR-15 assault rifle and intended to go to a local Walmart to go on a mass shooting spree before dying in a shootout with police, but was instead convinced to go to a local church by a friend before surrendering.

UPDATE (1/23/13): According to a follow-up article, the boy got the gun by raiding his parents' closet, where the guns and ammo were not apparently locked up, while his mother slept. He killed her first, then killed his three younger siblings because they were upset, then ambushed his father when he got home from an overnight shift at a mission. The article confirms his intent to shoot up random people at a Walmart, and to die at the hands of police, but instead he went to a church to meet his younger girlfriend. He may have been interested in killing her parents, too. When interviewed by the police, it became apparent to them that the boy was very wrapped up in his love of extremely violent video games..

Friday, January 18, 2013

A 7-year old boy brought a loaded .22-caliber pistol and a flare gun to school in his backpack, in Queens, New York. His mother found out, and initially tried to hide it, but then alerted school officials when she learned that one of the guns had been given to another boy. The school was put on lockdown until the guns were retrieved.

The .22 pistol was loaded with 10 rounds, and there was another bag of extra ammo in the backpack.

It's unclear how the boy got the guns, or how they had been stored at home.

The boy, a second grader, arrived at Wave Preparatory Elementary School in Far Rockaway about 7:30 a.m. About two hours later, the boy’s mother learned that he had the gun and she raced to the school. She told administrators that she needed to take him out of school for a dentist appointment, Mr. Browne said.

“Initially, it would appear that her intention was just to get the gun back and get it out of the school,” Mr. Browne said.

But after the mother asked her son if he had a gun in his bag, he told her that he had given the weapon to a classmate, prompting her to alert the principal. The school was placed on lockdown just after 10 a.m., Mr. Browne said.

Two school safety officers assigned to Wave Preparatory went to a second-floor classroom and found the other student. Upon searching his bag, the officers found a flare gun, but not the .22-caliber pistol, which they discovered moments later in the first child’s backpack, along with the ammunition and loaded gun clip, Mr. Browne said. The police believe that the flare gun, which was unloaded, may also have come from the first boy’s home.

Investigators were trying to determine exactly how the pistol ended up in the boy’s backpack and how his mother learned it was there. Mr. Browne said that whether the boy’s mother would face charges was “still under review.”

The boy has two older half brothers, ages 21 and 27, Mr. Browne said.

On Thursday night, two police officers stood at the top of the stairs inside an apartment building, listed as the mother’s address, above a barbershop on Cornaga Avenue.

Earlier in the day, students at Wave Preparatory described a nervous few hours that began when the principal went on the intercom to say that the school was being locked down and that they were to remain in their classrooms.

“I thought we were going to get killed,” said Javier Ferrufino, an 11-year-old in fifth grade. “We went to the back of the classroom. I hid with my friend behind some computers.”

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Following the NRA's advice to put armed guards in schools, the Chatfield Charter School in Lapeer, Michigan, hired an armed security guard to patrol its campus. Clark Arnold seems like a good choice, as a 32-year veteran of the local sheriff's department.

But only three days after being hired, Clark left his handgun in a bathroom for kids to find.

On January 13th of this year…just four days ago the Chatfield School in Lapeer, Michigan followed the directive of the NRA…to the letter. They hired an armed guard, an experienced Sheriff’s Deputy to take charge of security for their 500 child school. The announcement said “Thirty-two year retired Sheriff’s deputy in charge” and it was observed by the local Tea Party spokesperson that “a visitor to Chatfield School might mistake Clark Arnold for a smiling, kindly grandfather waiting for one of its nearly 500 students.”

Arnold, a 32-year veteran of the Lapeer County Sheriff’s Dept., as well as a firearms instructor, has been hired by the 16-year-old charter school academy as the county’s first armed school security officer. The decision was applauded by Bruce Cady, a trustee on the Chatfield Board of Directors, who added, “Absolutely. The decision was made for the good of the kids. We took the wellbeing of the kids and their safety into consideration. The events that have been happening in the schools is [sic] very concerning and that’s why we took the action we did.”

Just three days later…a report from the Flint Journal says that “A security officer at a Lapeer charter school left a firearm unattended in a school bathroom on Monday, Jan. 14, a school official said.

Further, “the security officer “made a breach in security protocol” and left an unloaded weapon in a restroom for a few moments,” said Chatfield School Director Matt Young.

Young said the school has been in contact with local authorities about the matter and wouldn’t discuss any possible repercussion for the officer, calling it “a personnel matter.” Young also declined to name the security officer.

Lapeer resident Tris Fritz, who has children in third and fifth grade at the school said “I think that some kid might not think it’s a real gun. They might think it’s a toy. They’re going to be curious, that’s the nature of a child. I know people are human and they make mistakes,” Fritz added. “That’s kind of a big mistake.”

More than "kind of" a big mistake, we'd say.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

A man in Richmond, Virginia, 58-year-old Casper R. Jones, was babysitting his 4-year old great-nephew when the boy found a loaded, unsecured handgun and discharged it, hitting Jones in the head. Jones was taken to the hospital, but later died from his wound.From an article:

Jones was rushed to VCU Medical Center with life threatening injuries; he remained in serious condition until his death Tuesday.

Jones' four-year-old great-nephew is believed to be responsible for the accidental shooting. It is unclear how the juvenile came into contact with the firearm.

A neighbor who lives down the street is still in disbelief.

"He always watches the kids all day, it's crazy. He watched his nieces, nephews, grandsons...he is the babysitter for the family," said Tramel Woodson. "That's why I am sorry it happened to him. His own nephew."

Police continue to investigate the tragic accidental shooting. No charges have been brought forth at this time, but police say any possible charges will be placed by the Commonwealth's Attorney's office.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.(thanks to the Ohh Shootblog post on this for a heads-up)

Monday, January 14, 2013

Two teen boys, ages 14 and 15, shot at and hit a police car and three other moving vehicles with a pellet gun, in Pleasant Hill, Oregon. Luckily, no one was hurt or any traffic accidents.From an article:

The two youths - a 14-year-old from Pleasant Hill and a 15-year-old from Coburg - were cited and released to their parents. The Lane County Sheriff's Office said the two face multiple counts of reckless endangering and criminal mischief.

The sheriff's office got a report of projectiles hitting cars on Cloverdale Road just after 8:20 p.m. Saturday. When the first deputy responded to the scene, his vehicle was also struck by a pellet, the sheriff's office said.

Three motorists reported damage to their vehicles, including a rear side window of a car with two small children seated in the backseat.

No injuries or traffic accidents were reporting in connection to the incident.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Four children between the ages of 4 and 6 were playing in a home in Kansas City, Missouri, when the father left home, leaving his loaded, unsecured handgun within easy reach of the kids. One of the children found the gun and discharged it, hitting a 4-year old girl. The girl is now in critical condition.

A father left his house and forgot his loaded gun in the living room, according to police. His wife didn't know the gun was out and within easy reach for small children.

Police said it appears another child in the house was playing with the loaded gun when it went off and now don't believe the little girl accidentally shot herself in the head.

"We saw police show up and a crime scene, so we assumed something bad happened," nearby neighbor Dan Peters said.

Peters was at home taking a shower when his dad told him about the emergency that was happening just two doors down near 105th Terrace and Monroe Avenue in south Kansas City.

Medical personnel were called to the area about 11:52 a.m. Thursday after a woman ran to a neighbor's house and asked the neighbor to call 911.

"He (my dad) came out and he saw the ambulance come and saw it was a small body on the stretcher, so he assumed it was a kid," Peters said.

Officials said a 4-year-old girl was playing in a room of the home with three other children who are all between the ages of 4 and 6. There was a loaded gun left on a chair in the room.

The girl's stepmother left the room and told police she came running back in when she heard the gun go off.

The girl was taken to Children's Mercy Hospital with critical injuries.

"It sounds like the gun was in the room with all the children, and we can't tell what exactly happened because the adult was out of the room," Sgt. Marisa Barnes with the Kansas City Police Department said.

Police said they will continue to investigate and forward the case onto the prosecutor's office, who will determine if charges will be filed.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

A man in Celina, Texas, named Ronald Miller, entered his child's elementary school, saying he was there to shoot someone, then proceeded to the office and pointed at staff, saying "You're dead!" It turns out he was unarmed and was there to "test" school security.He has since been arrested.From an article:

Officials say Ronald Miller was unarmed Wednesday when he told a school greeter outside Celina Elementary School that he had a gun, according to NBCDFW.com. The town of Celina is just north of Dallas.

The greeter froze in panic when Miller said he was a gunman and his target was inside, Celina Independent School District Superintendent Donny O’Dell told NBCDFW.com. Miller was then able to walk into the school and entered the office.

“He told them that he is a shooter and ‘you’re dead, and you’re dead,’” O’Dell told NBCDFW.com. Never showing a weapon, Miller then reportedly revealed his stunt was a test of school safety and he wanted to talk to the principal.

School staffers knew Miller, who was a father of a student, and police were not called until he left the school. He was arrested Wednesday evening and is being held in lieu of $75,000 bail.

A 12-year-old Pleasant Valley, Alabama boy was with his 12-year-old cousin when he went inside to get the 20-gauge shotgun he had received as a Christmas present. He wanted to show his cousin his new gun.

He brought the gun outside and was showing it to his cousin, who was on a trampoline, when he unintentionally discharged the gun and shot his cousin in the chest.

"The injuries were too severe and the young man was pronounced dead at the Jacksonville hospital," said the local sheriff.

The sheriff doesn't expect any charges to be filed. Alabama does not have any law that prohibits allowing a child access to firearms.

"If an adult buys a gun and gives it to a child that's not a crime in Alabama," said the sheriff. "There's no restriction whatsoever in that so the responsibility comes back to us as an adult. If I put a child in the front seat of a car with me and I don't put on a seat belt and something bad happens I'm responsible....So the lesson is for people to take these things very seriously, to make sure we're doing everything we can to ensure that safe practices are followed whatever the device is."

Who purposely gives a lethal weapons to a child?

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Police Chief Joe Prentice said one of his officers came to the store around 2:45 a.m. to get something to drink, when the clerk ran outside and told him he had been shot. The patrol officer had just missed the robbery.

"I would estimate a minute, maybe a minute and-a-half, after they exited the store the officer pulled into the lot," Prentice said.

Police said four males robbed the Kum-N-Go at 4th Street and Kern Avenue.

Prentice said two of the four males had handguns when they entered the store and one of them physically attacked the clerk and then shot him several times.

"I did not view the wounds personally, but it's my understanding the majority of his wounds are in the waist and below area. I think he took one round to the torso," Prentice said.

Early Wednesday afternoon, police announced they had arrested 17-year-old Jeffrey Edwards, 17-year-old Johnnie Ellies, and another 14-year-old on anticipated charges of robbery with a firearm and shooting with intent to kill.

A fourth suspect, Jerry Thompson, 17, was arrested Wednesday afternoon and will be booked in the Okmulgee County Jail on complaints of robbery with a firearm and shooting with intent to kill, as well.

Police say the victim is 21-year-old Jacob Rogers.

It hasn't been released where the teens got their guns and ammo.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

A group of about six teens who were hanging out in front of a house in the 600 block of Santa Teresa Way around 10:25 p.m. when a car pulled up and someone in the vehicle opened fire. The car then sped away. Police haven't made any arrests, said San Mateo County Sheriff's Deputy Rebecca Rosenblatt.

The wounded South San Francisco girl was rushed to a hospital, and is expected to recover, she added. No one else was shot.

It remains unclear what provoked the violence. None of the teens lived at the house, Rosenblatt said. It wasn't clear if the shooting was related to street gangs.

A man with a shotgun kicked in the door of a home in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He then pointed his shotgun at a 12-year old girl while demanding money from the girl's mother. Other children were present at the time.

The gun misfired at one point, but only hit a pillow. In the end, nothing was stolen and, luckily, no one was injured.

Around 5:30 p.m., police went to a home on the 1100 block of Ellen Avenue after receiving calls about a burglary. There, they spoke with a 34-year-old woman who said she and her youngest daughter, 7, saw a “figure” walk by her front window, according to a Rock Hill police report. When they went to investigate, they saw a man near the backdoor.

When she asked the person what he was doing, the man pointed a shotgun at her. She slammed the door, grabbed the child and ran into her daughter’s room, where other children were sleeping, the report states.

The man, wearing a panda mask, kicked in the door, breaking the locks, and ran into the room before demanding that the woman give him money. The gunman held his weapon at the 12-year-old girl when her cell phone lit up, according to the report. When he tried to rack the gun, a bullet fired and hit a pillow on the bed. He then left when the older woman told the girl to call the police.

A 16-year old boy, Bryan Oliver, got hold of his brother's 12-gauge shotgun and shells and brought them to a science class in his school, in Taft, California, at Taft Union High School. He opened fire at students he felt were bullying him, hitting one of them and missing another.
The victim, 16-year-old Bowe Cleveland, was critically wounded and was put in an induced coma. He was shot in the upper body.
A teacher was also grazed.
Teacher Ryan Heber and campus supervisor Kim Fields convinced the shooter to surrender peacefully.
Brian Oliver was caught last year with a "hit list."

Students told 17 News 16-year-old Bowe Cleveland was critically wounded in the shooting. A source close to Cleveland told us overnight that the teen is out of surgery and in a medically-induced coma but in stable condition.

Sheriff Donny Youngblood would not identify the shooter but students say the suspected gunman is 16-year-old Bryan Oliver, a student at the school. Investigators say he walked into his first period science class armed with a 12-gauge shotgun. Authorities say he then took aim at another student but missed.

The gunman told officials he had been bullied and said he knew his intended victims and had run-ins with them before. Parents told us the gunman was caught last year with a hit list.

"I can tell you that we are investigating that angle and there is probably a likelihood that something like that occurred. We've heard it from several different people we are still interrogating the suspect," said Sheriff Youngblood.

Youngblood says the gunman had about 20 more rounds of ammunition in his pocket and there were 28 kids in the classroom.

School officials say they normally have an armed Taft officer on duty but, Thursday, that officer was snowed in.

Danielle Overton said she got a phone call from her daughter, Corey, 16, who was next to the student who was shot. "She was just crying, telling me that there was a shooting at the school.... There's blood everywhere."

Students who were in other classrooms said they heard an announcement on the public address system about the shooting. Several students said it caused confusion because they had been told of an upcoming lockdown drill — the subject of a meeting by organizers on campus that morning, authorities said — and they assumed it signaled a practice exercise. The sound of helicopters soon told them otherwise.

Jacob Jackson, 15, a sophomore, said he and his classmates sat for more than an hour in the library, with the lights off and doors locked. "I was just thinking, 'I don't want to die,' " Jacob said.

By ironic coincidence, the shooting happened at the same time that Vice President Joe Biden was meeting with organizations to discuss stricter gun regulation.
There's been no word on how the shotgun had been stored by the shooter's brother.
Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.UPDATE (1/14/13): The shooter, Bryan Oliver, is being charged as an adult. From an article:

"He always drew pictures of killing and people having guns and knives, and he always talked about how he was going to bomb the oil fields," former Taft student Isarai Reyes told Eyewitness News following last week's shooting.

Green said Oliver could be sentenced to 25 years to life in prison on just one of the attempted murder charges, with the gun enhancement. Oliver is set for arraignment Monday afternoon.

Oliver allegedly barged into the class after missing the beginning of school, wielding a shotgun with a pocket full of 12-gauge shells. The sheriff's office said it has surveillance video of the nervous-acting suspect carrying the concealed shotgun into school....

Oliver apparently lives close to the school, and neighbors allegedly saw him carrying the gun into school and called 911, giving police a jump start.

The teacher received minor injuries but refused medical attention. One student was taken to the hospital with possible damaged hearing, because the shotgun was discharged close to her head. Another student received minor injuries while falling over a table trying to escape inside the classroom.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Sandra Palmer, 47, snapped and used her gun to kill her son, 14- year old Maurice Edmonds II, at their home in Greensboro, North Carolina. She also shot and injured her 18-year old daughter, Danielle Imani Jamison, and her partner and the boy's father, 46-year old Maurice Eugene Edmonds. Palmer then turned the gun on herself and committed suicide.The wounded father had run out of the home, calling for help, before collapsing.Motive is unknown.From an article and news video:

Maurice Edmonds II, 14, and Sandra Palmer, 47, were both found inside the home with gunshot wounds. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Danielle Imani Jameison, 18, was also shot inside the home. She was taken to Moses Cone Hospital where she is currently listed in critical condition.

Maurice Eugene Edmonds, 46, was found in the driveway suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to Moses Cone Hospital in “guarded” condition and on Tuesday was listed in “fair condition.”

Police said Jameison, 18, is Sandra Palmer’s daughter.

Edmonds, 14, is the son of Maurice Edmonds and Sandra Palmer.

Edmonds and Palmer were not married. ...

“He was a very funny person, outgoing he always had a certain energy with him,” said Reggie Davis, referring to his friend Edmonds.

Northwest students were told about the tragedy Monday afternoon right before they were dismissed for the day. The school’s principal, Rich Thomae, says the students are taking it hard.

“He was a wonderful student and this is a tragic loss for our school, community. Our teachers and students are going to need a lot of support over the next couple days,” Thomae said.

16-year old Anna Karam was four months pregnant when she was shot in the head and killed by her ex-boyfriend, David Stoddard, 24, in Akron, Ohio. Stoddard burst into her home and started firing, fatally shooting her in the head and injuring another young woman in thead, before fleeing.

Anna Karam, 16, and four months pregnant, died of a gunshot wound to the head. Jessica Halman, 19, ofNorton, is showing signs of recovery at Akron General Medical Center after suffering a similar head wound.

On Monday, Nelson recalled the outburst of alleged gunman David Stoddard, 24. He recalled as many as eight bullets being fired as Stoddard pursued him and others through the house. It only ended with a jammed gun over Nelson’s and his sister Jolynn Risten’s heads.

“He came in ruthlessly and just started shooting,” Nelson said.

Stoddard is in custody, charged with aggravated murder, attempted murder and felonious assault. Those who witnessed his rampage are left asking why.

Stoddard, who lives in Barberton, had at one time dated Nelson’s other sister, Jennifer Risten. The 21-year-old woman lives with Nelson and Anna at the South Akron home.

Jennifer Risten and Stoddard dated a short time last year and broke up months ago.

The two remained friends and Stoddard showed no signs of trouble, including earlier when he joined the group during an outing.

“After 2:30 everything went sour,” Jennifer Risten said Monday.

Stoddard showed up at his ex-girlfriend’s home on East Archwood Avenue about 4 a.m. Sunday. Nelson was the first to see him at a back door. Stoddard was armed and angry and looking for Jennifer Risten. She wasn’t home.

“I walked up to him and I tried to talk to him but he wasn’t having any,” Nelson said. “He told me he was on a bunch of trash and I said, ‘Not here, we’re going to have to go outside real quick.’ ”

“He was like, ‘No, I’m here on some trash, I got some guns.’ ”Trash is slang for anger or torment.

In a flash, Stoddard burst inside the home, pulling out his gun and firing the first of about eight shots. Karam and Jolynn Risten were coming downstairs amid the shouting and gunfire. Nelson said he tried to rush the women upstairs. But the gunfire was starting.

Karam was struck first while in the stairway. Halman, who had tried to talk to Stoddard, was shot near the kitchen. No one else was injured.

Nelson recalled holding Jolynn Risten on the floor when Stoddard’s gun jammed over their heads. Stoddard then pleaded for Nelson to kill him.

“After the gun jammed, he kept putting it in our face, telling us we knew what it was [that triggered his outrage] and then he asked me if I could put the gun in his mouth.

For a second, I wanted to do it. He just took my best friend’s life,” Nelson said.

Instead, Stoddard fled the home and got inside a black Nissan Pathfinder. He apparently drove to a Wadsworth motel, where police spotted his SUV parked on High Street. Wadsworth officers and Medina County SWAT officers arrested Stoddard without incident inside a room later Sunday morning.

According to another article, the shooter may have actually been gunning for another ex-girlfriend.

A 15-year old boy, Joel Santiago, in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, was caught breaking into a Jeep in town. He then pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot a man if he didn't hand over his cell phone. After the robbery, the boy was captured. The gun turned out to be a realistic-looking pellet gun.From an article:

The victim of Sunday night's armed robbery in the city said he was standing on his porch at 158 N. Eighth St. at about 9:15 p.m. when he saw a young male going through his neighbor's Jeep.

A moment later, the intruder, who police say is 15, approached Daniel McKimm and told him he had five seconds to give him his cell phone. The boy then began to count down from five.

McKimm, 19, told police he threw his black T-Mobile phone, ran into his home and called police.

A short time later, guns drawn, police took Joel Santiago into custody about six blocks away after they found him lying next to a parked car on Commerce Street between The News-Item and Center City Apartments.

Santiago, of 819 E. Dewart St., Shamokin, was charged as an adult with multiple offenses, including robbery and aggravated assault. ...

Siko said the weapon used by Santiago, which was recovered, is a compressed-air pellet gun that is a replica of a semi-automatic handgun.

"It really looks like a handgun," Siko said. "It weighs the same as a handgun and has all the same features."

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

A 14-year old boy in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, thought it would be fun to bring a realistic-looking BB gun to the mall, with the tip painted black, hidden in his pants. It fell out, alarming employees, and police responded, holding the boy and his friends at gunpoint.

The 14-year-old and his friends brought a BB gun to the mall because they "weren't thinking." They saw rumors on Facebook that a lot of people were going to the mall, so they took two BB guns to the mall in their pants. One armed boy couldn't keep the gun from falling out of the waistline of his pants and several employees thought he had a real gun. The employees called the police, who caught the boy and friends walking out the front door.

An officer immediately held the 14-year-old and his two friends at gunpoint and told them to get down. The boy threw his gun, the tip painted black to look like a real pistol, into the snow. He was arrested and his friends were let go.

He's lucky he's alive.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Prince William County police said they were called to Vaughn Elementary School in Woodbridge on Monday to investigate an altercation between an 11-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy that occurred on school grounds after school hours on Friday. Police said that during the altercation the 11-year-old, who is a sixth-grader at Fred Lynn Middle School, displayed a BB gun to the 9-year-old and pointed it toward him.

The altercation occurred outside the school building but on school property. Police said no shots were fired and no injuries were reported.

The 11-year-old juvenile has been charged with brandishing a weapon on school property and assault and battery.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

A 20-year-old Florida woman was in critical condition Friday after she shot and killed her 6-month-old son and then turned the gun on herself, police said.

Authorities found Melanie Reyes and her baby after performing a welfare check at the request of Reyes' family, who called 911 to report a statement on her Facebook page in which she "indicated she was going to shoot her child and herself," according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office.

Both were transported to a hospital, where the infant was pronounced dead.

Police recovered the handgun believed used in the shootings from the home.

The incident comes roughly two weeks after Reyes was arrested for aggravated domestic battery after her boyfriend said she struck him with a baseball bat, according to a police report. Her next court date had been scheduled for January 22.

This one is too hard to imagine.

UPDATE (1/5/13): According to another article, the son's name is Jonah Mendoza, Reyes had been recently unemployed, had been fighting with the son's father over visitation rights, and had been accused of domestic violence against a more recent partner.